8 miles of hiking • 2000' elevation gain •
Hadn't been up on TDH for over 3 years, so a suddenly free sunny Sunday was all the excuse needed. This is a really great loop, but hardly anyone actually does it. They do the 3 miles from Hwy 26 up to the first clearing on top, then turn around and return the way they came. I hadn't encountered hardly a soul on the way up, but found a flock of perhaps 30-40 sitting in the rubble. After wandering another couple 100 yards, I was again alone for the rest of my journey. Crazy!
The views were fantastic last Sunday. Could see Jefferson to the south, but no Sisters. To the north, Saint Helens, Rainier, and Adams were the backdrop to gorge giants Larch and Defiance, with Hood dominating almost every perspective. Very big reward for very little effort!
Seems the best approach for this is to park at Ski Bowl (no forest pass needed), and walk the road down to the trailhead. They've done a lot to make this safer over the last few years, with a nicely compacted gravel trail outside the guardrail. Head up to Mirror Lake, enjoy it with leisurely loop around, then go on up to the top. Traverse the ridge as you please, and drop down following the ski run of your choice. Really nice way to spend part of a day!
